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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

The HoneyComb Paradigm for Research on Collective Human Behavior
Published on: January 19, 2019
Motivating interdependent teams: individual rewards, shared rewards, or something in between?
Matthew J Pearsall1, Michael S Christian, Aleksander P J Ellis
1Management and Organization Department, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742- 1815, USA. mpearsall@rhsmith.umd.edu
Hybrid rewards boost team performance by improving information sharing and reducing social loafing, outperforming individual and shared reward systems. This study offers insights into team motivation and effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Psychology
- Team Dynamics
- Motivation Science
Background:
- Understanding team motivation is crucial for enhancing collective performance.
- Previous research has explored individual, shared, and team-based rewards.
- The specific impact and mechanisms of hybrid reward systems on teams require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of hybrid rewards on team performance.
- To examine the mediating roles of information allocation and social loafing in the reward-performance relationship.
- To compare hybrid rewards against individual and shared reward structures within teams.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a command-and-control simulation involving 90 teams.
- Assessed team performance outcomes.
- Measured information allocation and social loafing as potential mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Hybrid rewards significantly enhanced team performance compared to individual and shared rewards.
- Increased information allocation was identified as a key mechanism driving the benefits of hybrid rewards.
- Reductions in social loafing were also observed, contributing to higher team performance under hybrid reward conditions.
Conclusions:
- Hybrid reward systems are effective in improving team performance.
- The benefits of hybrid rewards are explained by enhanced information sharing and decreased social loafing.
- Findings support the integration of hybrid rewards to optimize team motivation and productivity.
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